Starting device for internal-combustion engines.



H. W. WEBB & T. VEITCH.

STARTING DEVICE FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.18.1912.

1,058,209. Patented Apr. 8, 1913.

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NW W w/msssg INVWTORS 1. HAHTWELL W. EBB

& BZHO/MS VE/TCH THE/B ATTORNEY H. W. WEBB & T. VEITOH.

STARTING DEVICE FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.13. 1912.

1,058,209., Patented Apr. 8, 1913.

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Patented Apr. 8, 1913.

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BY I M THE/H ATTOR/V H. W. WEBB & BITCH.-

STARTING DEVICE FOR INTERNA OMBUSTION ENGINES. I

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1,058,209. Patented Apr. 8, 1913.

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INVENTORS HHHTWELL W. WEBB & THO/1A5 VE/ TC H,

THE/ H A770,?

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HABTWELL W. WEBB, OF CRESSKILL, AND THOMAS VEITCH, 0F DUMONT, NEW JERSEY.

STARTING DEVICE FOR INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 8,1913.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, HARTWELL W. WEBB and THOMAS VErroH, citizens of the United States, and residents ofCresskill and Dumont, respectively, in the county of Bergen and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Starting Devices for Internal-Combustion Engines, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to starting devices for internal combustion englnes, and more particularly to that type in whlch a supply of combustible mixture ofair and hydrocarbon is used for starting purposes.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide' a simple and inexpensive device, by means of which a source of energy which is already provided for on all automobiles and other motor vehicles is supplied to the working cylinders of the engine, to be ignited therein by the regular igniting devices of the engine.

Another ob'ect of the invention is to produce an elecirically operated valve, actuated, preferably, by the regular ignition system of the engine. 1

A further object of the invention is .to produce a simple, inexpensive and eflicient joint betweenv the pipe leading from the tank containing a supply of hydrocarbon and the intake manifold pipe of the engine.

With these and .other objects in view, which will'more fully appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the

- same consists in the combination, arrange:

ment and construction of parts hereinafter fully described, pointed out in the appended claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, it being understood that many changes may be made in the size and proportion of the several parts and minor details of construction within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the adva'n v tages of the invention. I

A few of the many possible embodiments v of the invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation, somewhat diagrammatic in form, of an internal combustion engine suitable for use on automobiles showing one way in which the invention may be applied thereto; Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic viewof the device with a diagrammatic illustration of the electric circuits;

3 is a similar view with modified circults; Fig. 4 a similar view of a still further modification of the circuits; Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view of the improved valve; Fig. 6 is a similar sectional view of an enlarged detail of construction of said valve; Fig. 7 is a section taken on line 7-7 of Fig. 6; Fig. 8 is a section taken on line 88 of Fig. 6; Fig. 9 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of a modified detail of the valve; Fig. 10 is a section taken on line 1010 of Fig. 9; Fig. 11 is a vertical section taken through the joint between the manifold and the pipe through which the supply of hydrocarbon is conducted there to from the auxiliary tank; Fi 12 is a section taken on line 1212 of Fig. 11; Fig. 13 is a section taken on line 1313 of Fig. 11; Fig. 14 is a vertical sectional view of a modification of this joint; and Fig. 15 is a section taken on line l5-15 of Fig. 14.

The invention is shown in the drawings as applied to an internal combustion engine of the four-cycle type, comprising a plurality of cylinders 20, 20, provided with the usual inlets. A supply of combustible mixture is conducted to said inlets through the inlet' manifold pipe 21, which is joined with the supply pipe 22 of the carburetor. This engine is mounted immediately forward ofthe dash-board 23 ofan automobile, following common practice. For starting purposes, a source of energy is used which 15 provided on nearly every motor car, that is the acetylene gas for lighting. This gas is usually stored .under pressure in a tank, denoted in the drawings by the numeral 24, connected by a pipe 25 with the intake manifold in a manner hereinafter to be-ydescribed. The communication between the'tank24 and the intake manifold 21 is controlled by an electrically operated valve 26, shown in detail in Figs. 5 to 8, inclusive, of the drawings.

lar sharp edged valve seat 31, below which the bore 32 in the tubular member is considerably enlarged. In this enlarged portion of the bore is shiftably arranged a valve 33, fitting snugly the bore and being provided with longitudinally extending peripheral grooves 34, 34. The upper face of the valve 33 holds a disk 35 of compressible material, such as leather, which is held against the sharp edged valve seat 31 by means of a spring 36, bearing against the lower recessed face 37 of said valve and against a perforated stop 38, held stationary within the bore 32 in the tubular member 29.

The means for operating the valve 33 comprises an electromagnet of the iron-clad type. The cylindrical wall of the casing 27 is, preferably, made of iron, and so is its bottom 28. The cover 39 of the casing, which is detachable, is preferably made of brass or other non-magnetic material. In the casing is centrally arranged a tubular iron member 40, and flush with the top of the same is held in said casing a disk 41 of brass .or other similar non-magnetic material. A magnetizing coil 42 is arranged around the tubular member 40 in the casing, and is thus almost entirely surrounded by iron, whereby the magnetic resistance of the circuit is greatly reduced. In the bore of the tubular member 40 is shiftably arranged a stem 43, made of brass or other similar non-magnetic material, its lower end extending down to the valve 33, and being provided with longitudinally extending peripheral grooves 34 to permit the flow of gas, when the valve 33 is unseatcd, from the tubular member 29 into the extension 30 and thus into the pipe 25. Upon its upper end the stem 43 carries fixedly attached thereto an iron disk 45, which is arranged within the cover 39 of the casing above the partition disk 41 thereof. A setscrew 46 projects through a screw threaded hole 47 in the cover 39 into the casing 27,

and serves to force the stem 43 downward to unseat the valve 33 and to hold it in such position, at will, for a purpose which will be mentioned. hereinafter.

A modification of the valve is shown in Figs. 9 and 10 of the drawings, which difiiers from that shown in Figs. 5 to 8, inclusive, in that its valve 33 is provided with an upwardly extending stem portion 48, which extends above the valve seat 31 to be actuated by the stem 43 above-mentioned. In this case a ring 35' of leather or similar material is held upon the valve.

Iii-constructions of this type heretofore usually a hole was bored into the manifold, said hole screw threaded and the screw threaded end of the pipe, leading thereto, engaged therewith. Obviously in order to bore a hole into the manifold, the same had to be detached from the engine to prevent the borings from entering the carbureter.

To obviate this defect, the following construction is made use of: The end of the pipe 25 is somewhat flattened and inserted into a radial hole 49 in a gasket 50, which is preferably made of metal, and is of a diameter substantially smaller than that of the flanges 51 and 52 of the manifold 21 and of the supply pipe 22, respectively, so that the uniting screws 53, passing through said flanges, do not engage said gasket. This gasket is provided with a plurality of projections 54, which project either into the manifold 21 or into the supply pipe 22 to center the position of said gasket relative to said manifold and said supply pipe. When the gasket is inserted between the flanges, as shown in Figs. 11 to 13, inclusive, a gastight joint will be provided between the intake manifold and the supply pipe, and it is to be observed that this connection can be made without taking the manifold off the engine, and can be made by anybody, even by unskilled laborers.

In the modification shown in Figs. 14 and 15 the inner end 55 of the pipe 25 extends into the intake manifold, projecting upwardly toward the inlets of the engine.

Firing or ignition in the working cylinders of the engine takes place from the usual spark plugs (not shown in the drawings), such spark plugs being inserted into an electric circuit containing a suitable source of electric energy. On automobiles or motor vehicles either an electric battery or a magneto, or the combination of these two elements are used. In Fig. 2 of the drawings a circuit is shown, in which the source of electric energy comprises a battery 56, one terminal of which is grounded, as shown at 57, while its other terminal is connected by a conductor 58 to the lever 59 of a two-way switch. The contact 60 of this switch is connected by a conductor 61- with the common contact terminal 62 or a distributer 63, from the segments of which lead conductors 64, 64 to a spark coil, to be connected then with the spark plugs. The other contact 65 of the two-way switch is connected by a conductor 66 with one of the terminals of the magnetizing coil 42, while its other terminal is connected by a conductor 67 with the ground. The free end of the lever 59 of the switch is provided with a cam shaped face 68, which is adapted to ride over the end of a latch 69, pivoted at 70 to some stationary part of the automobile frame. This latch comprises two. parts, that is the arm 71, in which is slidably arranged an arm 72, held by a spring 73 in its outermost position, shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings. A stop 74 prevents the latch from swinging over its normal horizontal position. A spring 75 tends to bring the switch lever 59 in contact with the contact point 60.

The operation of the device-when inserted into the circuitshown in Fig. 2 of the drawings is as follows: The acetylene or other hydrocarbon gas under pressure is supplied to the engine cylinders through the intake manifold thereof. (Dbviously for this reason it must be supplied to said cylinders while the engine is still running and when the ignition system of the engine has been rendered inoperative, or in other words the supply of combustible material used in starting the engine must be forced into the working cylinders of the engine when the latter is about to stop, or more particularly during those few turns of the same when no ignition takes place in the cylinders. Durmg thenormal running of the engine, theswitch lever 59 contacts with contact point 60, whereby the regular ignition takes place. When the engine is to be stopped, the lever 59 is disengaged from the contact point 60, rendering thereby the ignition system inoperative. The engine will continue to run, however, by the momentum of its fly-wheel, and by forcing the cam-shaped face 68 of the lever 59 over the latch 69 and into contact with the contact point 65, an electric circuit will be closed throughthe magnetizing coil of the valve 26. As soon as the current flows through this coil, the core of the 'electromagnet will be magnetized, the disk 45 attracted thereby, by which operation the stem 43 will unseat the valve 33, opening thereby a communication between the tank 24 and the intake manifold 21.- As the engine is still running, its cylinders will be filled with a highly explosive charge. In letting the switch lever 59 go, it will be brought by the spring 75 against the free end of the latch into a neutral position, shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings. In order to start the engine, the arm 72 of the latch is forced against the action of the spring toward the arm 71 thereof, whereby the spring 75 will close an electric current by bringing the switch lever 59 into its normal position into contact with contact point 60. Sparking will immediately occur in one of the cylinders, igniting thereby the charge therein and giving thus an initial movement to the engine. After the first ignition has occurred and the initial starting movement given, the charge in the other cylinders will be fired successively in their proper order, the engine then continuing to run in the ordinary manner by drawing combustible mixture from the carbureter.

In Fig. 3 of thedrawings, an electric circuit is shown, including a source of electric energy in the form of a magneto 76. This magneto is grounded by a conductor 77 in the usual manner, its brushes being connected by a conductor 78 with the lever 79 of a two-way switch. One of the contact points, that is the contact 80 of the switch is connected bya conductor .81 with a spark coil tained during the normal running of the engine. lVhen the engine is to be stopped,

the switch lever 79 is brought'into contact with contact point 83, whereby a charge of acetylene or other hydrocarbon gas will be supplied to the working cylinders of the engine in the manner hereinbefore described. To start the engine, the lever 79 is drawn over the contact point 80, and the crankshaft given an initial movement by means of a hand operated crank. In this case, of course, the engine is not entirely self starting, and the supply of acetylene gas is introduced into the cylinders for the purpose of providing a mixture which will explode no matter what the weather conditions be.

In Fig. 4 of the drawings an electric ignition system is shown, which includes two sources of electric energy, that is both a magneto and a battery. The battery isdenoted by the numeral 86 and the magneto by the numeral 87. A switch comprising two levers 88 and 89, which are rigidly connected, is provided. The magneto is grounded by a conductor 87, and its brushes connected by a conductor 87 with the switch lever 89. One terminal of the battery is grounded by a conductor 86, its other terminal being connected by a conductor 86" with the switch lever 88. The switch levers are adapted to ride over six contact points, which are denoted in their order by the numerals 90, 91, 92,93, 94 and 95. The contact points 90 and 94 are connected by conductors 96 and 97 with a spark coil 98. Contact points 91 and 93 are neutral points. Contact point 92 is connected by a conductor 99 with one of the terminals of the magnetizing coil of the valve 26, while its other terminal is connected by the conductor 100 with the ground. The contact point is connected by conductor 101 with the ground.

The switch levers are held under the action of a spring 102, which tends to bring the lever arm 88 in contact with contact point 90, and thereby the lever arm 89 with the neutral point 93. To prevent the lever from being brought into such positions, a latch inders are to be filled with acetylene gas, the switch levers are forced downward so that the lever 89 will be brought into contact with contact point 95 and the lever 88 into contact with contact point 92. By this operation, the magneto is short circuited, whereby the ignition system is rendered inoperative; current from battery 86 will, however, flow through conductor 86", lever 88, conductor 99 to the magnetizing coil in the valve 26, from there through conductor 100 to the ground, and from ground through conductors 87 and 86 to the battery.. The valve 33 will thus be operated and the cylinders charged with explosive mixture. In letting go the switch levers, the same are brought into the positions shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings. In order to start the engine, the arm 72 of the latch is forced backward, whereby the spring 102 will bring the arm 88 into contact with contact point 90 and the arm 89 into contact with neutralpoint 93. Ignition thus takes place by the current supplied from the battery in the manner described in connection with Fig. 2 of the drawings. After the engine is running for some time, the switch levers are brought back into the positions shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings, when current will be supplied by a magneto.

If the supply of gasolene is exhausted or the carbureter of the engine does not Work for some reason, it is possible to let the car run as long as the supply of acetylene lasts by simply screwing up the screw 46 and unseating thereby the valve 33. Combustible mixturewill thus enter the cylinders of the engine, which will thus operate in the same manner as when a mixture of vaporized gasolene and air is forced into its cylinders.

What we claim is o 1. In a starting device, the combination with the intake manifold of an internal combustion engine, of a tank for gas under pressure, a fluid carrying connection between said tank and said manifold, a valve controlling said connection, an ignition system for the engine containing a source of electric energy, electrically operated means for actuating said valve, and means for rendering, at will, said ignition system inoperative and connecting said source of electric energy to oeaaoo actuate said valve, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. In a starting device, the combination with the intake manifold of an internal combustion engine, of a tank for gas under pressure, a fluid carrying connection between said tank and said manifold, a valve controlling said connection, an ignition system for the engine containing a source of electric energy, an electromagnet for actuatin said valve, and means forrendering, at wil said ignition system inoperative and connecting said source of electrical energy to actuate said electromagnet, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

3. In a starting device, the combination with the intake manifold of an internal combustion engine, of a tank for gas under pressure, a fluid carrying connection between said tank and said manifold, a valve cont-rolling said connection, an ignition s stem for the engine containing two in ependent sources of electric energy, electrically operated means for actuating said valve, and means for rendering, at will, said ignition system inoperative and connecting one of said sources of electric energy to actuate said valve, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

4. In a starting device, the combination with the intake manifold of an internal combustion engine, of a tank for gas under pressure, a fluid carrying connection between said tank and said manifold, a valve controlling said connection, an ignition system for the engine containing two independent sources of electric energy, an electromagnet for actuating said valve, and means for renderin'g, at will, said ignition system inoperative and connecting one of said'sources of electrical energy to actuate said electromagnet, substantially as and for the purposev specified.

Signed at New York. in the county of New York and State of New York, this 12th day of January, A. D. 1912.

HARTWELL W. WEBB. THOMAS VEITCH.

\Vitnesses SIGMUND- HERZOG, S. BIRNBAUM. 

